2006 Ford GT Coupe

In 1963, Enzo Ferrari was looking to sell the road car division of his company and courted Ford as a potential buyer. Ford, eager to purchase the Ferrari marque, hoped that the acquisition would lead to further profits and popularity for the company. Ford also hoped that with their resources and Ferrari's intimate knowledge of motorsports, that the union would create an unstoppable force on the race track. Lawyers in Italy and the United States worked diligently to draft a contract, but Enzo refused to sign, believing that he was not given enough freedom or control over the racing section of the company.

After hearing that the plan would not come to fruition, Henry Ford II was livid. He decided that he prove to Enzo that they could produce the world's best racing car without him. This was personal and cost was irrelevant. With the Ford GT40, Ferrari's success at the famed 24-hour race would soon come to an end. The last Ferrari to place 1st overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans would be in 1965. A trio of Ford GT40s would sweep the podium in 1966, and GT40s would continue to claim the top spot on the podium for the next three years running.

In 2002, Ford created a GT40 Concept car. It was well received and prompted the company to develop and produce the car for regular production. On the Ford Motor Company's 100th anniversary, Ford officially introduced the production-read Ford GT. It had a modern design that had striking similarities to its GT40 sibling. It had a nearly identical silhouette to the original GT40. Power was from a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 and could reach 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds with a top speed of nearly 200 mph.

The first owners took possession of their Ford GT in late 2004. During the three years of production, 4,038 GTs were built. Customer demand outstripped supply, and many examples were sold for substantial premiums over the original MSRP.

Many of the Ford GTs were given dual racing stripes. A 'stripe-delete' option was also offered at no cost. This particular example is finished in Speed Yellow with the tape stripe delete option, and it is also optioned with the McIntosh stereo, lightweight BBS wheels, and red-painted brake calipers. Only 75 were finished in Speed Yellow, and this specific GT is just one of two that were finished in that color and also feature the side tape stripe delete option and no hood stripes.

This Ford GT was delivered new to Mathews Ford, of Oregon, Ohio. The original window sticker is still affixed to its windshield and the plastic still overs the seats and interior. All of its original shipping documentation remains with the car. It has only accumulated delivery mileage since new.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2014